The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-02

seized the community. The din was
enhanced hy the rumble of ambulances
and the humping of iirc-engincs A
little while and human nature asserted itself,
and the organized efforts of the city were of
no avail. The ambulance service was excel
lent The wagons sent 10 the scene brought
skilled attendants and many physicians
were ON hand as soon MS their services could
be used. Nothing was spared to relieve the
sufferers, and as they were removed from
the debris they were taken Immediately to
the dispcnsary. The police soon had control
OF the crowd, and the yandas had no OPP
portunity TO ply their trade. as watchmcn
were in the shattered buildings before the
rogueS dared to enter. The iircmen worked
at the falling buildings regardless Of adjacent
walls, which lowered with impending dan
ger. With daylight came the word that all
the victims had been removed.
The corrected list Of dead and wounded by
the explosion is eight dead and three
wounded seriously; six others who lived in
the building, reported missing, have been
found, either uninjured or slightly bruised.
FIVE OF the Newman family arc dead. Ma
mic Is horribly mNnglcd and burned and be-
yond all hope OF recovery. Nellie lies in
terrible condition, but may recover Charles
n Deycrc and wife and Mrs. Agnes Bcascly
are dead Miss Hattie Bryant is badly
bruised. There are many theories TO explain
the cause Of the explosion, but none are sat
isiactory. The mob which pass around the
scene cxcitcdly talk OF anarchists and their
dynamite, but men Of sense discountenance
this idle prattle. The general belief is that
escaping gas filled the cellar and that Mr..
Newman kept n quantity of Kerosene oil and
gasoline in the cellar near where the cNplo-
sion evidently took place, The rapid fire and
the fumes while il burned indicate this. The
vessels and the oil, il there were any have
been destroyed, and the only man that knows
is dead. The escaping gas theory il sup
ported, however, by the store boy, Joe Bien-
venue, who says that he was annoyed during
the afternoon yesterday by q strong smell of
gas, and before shutting up the store for the
night at 1880 o'clock, he went through the
building looking for the open burner He
did not visit the cellar. The tremendous
force Of the explosion is the cause Of greatest
doubt TO this explanation. A great crowd
fingers around the place, but the work Of
rescue is over.
Tho mangled and burned forms Of eight
persons now lie in the morgue awaiting
burial. The scene is horrible, not one
Of them but that is bruised and black
from contusions aud flames, and their bodies
twisted into agonizing shapes. Death came
In nearly every form: life was either crushed
smothcrcd. Some mover awokc TO feel the
dread, aud Others lived IN the hope TO he
rescued by men whose shouts they heard
above them. Two other forms lie in the hos
ptal lingering between life and death. One,
Nellie Newman, is able 20 talk. She related
her terrible experience between her pitiful
cries for mother and sister. In broken SEN
tenccs she said: I'VE had been asleep, Ma
mic and l. In the front room, directly over
a f.t
room with my little sister, and my brothers
were in tho room beyond. The crash
woke me. Then the roof fell on me- ! was
lying on my right side. Mamie was behind
me nearer mothers room. When the roof
fell timbcrs fell ON me and held me 50 that |
| could not get out OF bed. The plaster fell on
my face. got into my eyes and IN my mouth.
could not see nor scream. My arms were
held down by piece Of wood (which lay on
Mamie, too Another big piece lay upon my
| foot so I could not move. The house must
| have taken fire few minutes after the cx-
( plusion. The iromen wcrc long time COM
/ Ing aud the fire rot into the ruins about us.
/ Mamie was burning, llknow, and the fire was
getting very hot about me. ! could feel the
| tire getting nearer and nearer. | thought
/ then was going to lie.
Then they began tO pour water on the
| fire. Tho water was pouring around ~ iol
/ the longest time, and we were In danger ol
| being drowned The water made me feel
better, though, until 1t ran into my mouth
| II felt good on my eyes. Then the men
/ came 10 take ~ out of the ruins ] could
| not see them, but heard them tumping over
| the broken wood. They took Mamie out
| first She was the worst hurt. The piece OI
/ timber that lay ON nay arm and shoulder
/ held her down. The iircmon had To chop II
| away, aud that hurt me. thought would
bc crushed every time they struck th,
wood. When they had taken Mamie oul
they took me-"
Charles Eincrd, who occupied room IN
the same building was mp late playing spli
| tnirc. lie said II heard n loud report and
the table slid away from before me. A see
ond or two elapsed when hcarl another rc
| port very much as II two bombs had been
Tired into the air. Tho explosions iollowct
| with only a few moments intcrmission.
jumped 10 my feet and found the floor sink
Ing away under me. | reached out ant
| sciycd the lam of the door and managed I,
| retain my clutch on u. ] saw that the way
down stairs at the south side of the hous'
! was clear aud | started out, when ] heard Q
cry for hclp. The crushing had subsidized.
knew il was Mrs. BELL Wilson, who was 10
the front room. then went back, aud nfic
much diinculty got her from the room an,
carried her down stairs. ] am sure that
heard two explosions, and that they wcr'
only few seconds apart. don't know ans
exclamation for the explosion
The financial loss caused by the explosion
last night will amount g. about S2D.upO III
yidcd in small amounts among TIE prupcrt.
owners In the noirhborhoUd. The prinripl
loss falls on William Rcnshaw, who owns th
demolished building, Nus. 90 ~, suut
Fourteenth street lie recently purchased ia
building for $1,000. The losses are full
covered by insurance.
The following Is q full and accurate let ,
those killed aud wounded by the explosion
KILLED.
Michael Newman. Mn. Annie Newman an
their children. John, liward and Katie, aged u
| tpertlycly sixteen. thlriocn and eleven year
dhnfcs \. Duyctc and bis wife aud Mn Agu'
ncnslcy.
WOUNDED.
Manic Newman will die. Nellie Newman, .
riously hut will frcoyor Mr.. Hgll Wilson, slight
Mis- Hattie Bryant slightly.
, The latter and Ms. Bcaslcy were sisters
Mn,. Devcrc. Chr. n. Dcycrc was n We
known circus man.
There l. no definite information yet ~
: what caused the explosion, but it Is thougl
that when the debris u cleared away som
I thing may be- found In the cellar which vi
lead 10 clear conclusions. Theorists diyi,
/. on coil oil aud dynamite. The terrible for
of the explosion may indicate the latter, bl
\, nobody yet knows.
THE Condemned Anarchists.
CmcAoo, H., Nov. i.-"Would you sign